


i still love you (i hope you know)

by alluringdreams



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Betty Cooper Needs a Hug, Bounty Hunter Jughead Jones, Detective Betty Cooper, Enemies to Lovers, Exes to Lovers, F/M, Hurt Jughead Jones, Journalist Betty Cooper, Jughead Jones Needs a Hug, Partners to Lovers, Post-Time Skip, Slow Burn, Time Jump AU, detective bughead, maybe they should hug each other??, or more, wink wink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:27:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29304222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alluringdreams/pseuds/alluringdreams
Summary: Breakups usually mean goodbye, right?  The end, see you never?  It doesn't mean, "See you in seven years when I have to drag your ass to jail."
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, bughead
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	i still love you (i hope you know)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello frens! This is going to be largely based off of one of my favorite movies, The Bounty Hunter, starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler. Seriously, go see it if you haven't yet. Such a laugh! 
> 
> Title inspired by James Arthur's, _Say You Won't Let Go._

Jughead was working behind the counter at Pop’s when he heard the jingle of the bell above the door. Stepping in with the cold draft was that missing little girl—and behind her, Betty.

 _Fuckin' hell, she really did it,_ he thought, staring at them in awe. Deep down, though, he knew he never really doubted her. 

She glanced around the diner, looking panicked for just a moment—but then her green eyes locked with his, and it was like the breath was knocked out of him. For a second, the whole world fell away, and all he could think was: _Wow._

He forgot the cup of coffee he was pouring until it began spilling over. Cursing, he set the pot down, mopped the mess with a towel, and took another moment to just look at her—because she was _beautiful._

She looked the same, but different. Golden blonde hair still tied in a ponytail, but gathered low at the base of her head, and long enough to lightly brush her waist. Instead of a pastel cardigan or sweater, she wore a dark red leather jacket and black jeans. Her eyes, though, blazed a bright emerald green—but lacked the familiar pep and joy she used to have.

Noting her hopeful expression, he tilted his head towards the woman at the end of the counter: the mother. She’d been there all day, waiting. He poured her refill after refill, and made small talk in his effort to keep the promise he made to Betty.

> _The phone was especially annoying today. Tabitha had a full crowd in the corner booths, so she was far too busy to answer the phone as often as she normally did. She missed the last call, and it was now ringing for the second time in a row._
> 
> _"Tabitha! Phone!" he called, looking over in irritation. They were at entirely opposite ends of the diner, and the phone was ringing at the counter._
> 
> _"You're closer!" she called back, not even looking up from her pad as she took someone's order. "Besides,_ you're _bussing a table, and_ I'm _helping these kind ol' folks. Which do you think is more important?" Tabitha winked at the elderly couple in front of her, and they smiled in response._
> 
> Charmer, _Jughead thought sarcastically. He rolled his eyes, dropped his rags, and headed over to the phone. It was onto the third call in a row—obviously whoever it was would keep redialing until they picked up. He lifted the phone to his ear, and before he could utter a single syllable of 'hello,' he heard someone exclaim, "Finally, thank GOD! Pop Tate, is that you? I know it's been awhile, but I really need your help, Pop, I—"_
> 
> _"This isn't Pop," he interrupted. He was so shocked by the voice that he almost lost his balance._
> 
> _There was a long pause, and then: "Jughead?"_
> 
> _"Winner winner, chicken dinner," he said lamely. He mentally kicked himself. Could he be more uncool?_
> 
> _"Wow, um. Hi...it's—"_
> 
> _"Betty. I know." Knew it right away, that voice. He'd recognize it anywhere._
> 
> _Pause. "Jughead, is Pop there?"_
> 
> _"Nope."_
> 
> _Another pause. "Jug, please, Pop has to be there. Tell him it's me—"_
> 
> _"I told you, he's not here."_
> 
> _A longer pause. "Look, I really need to talk to someone that's working there. Can you hand me off to someone? Anyone? Preferably someone who's closing tonight?"_
> 
> _He could've given the phone to Tabitha, but he didn't. Instead, he replied, "You're talking to him."_
> 
> _"Wait—you're working at Pop's?"_
> 
> _"Yep."_
> 
> _"You're back in Riverdale," she stated dumbly._
> 
> _"Last I checked, that's where Pop's was." Snarky, perhaps, but what else was he gonna say?_
> 
> _There was a few seconds of silence before she finally sighed. "Don't hang up. Please? I...need help." He didn't know what to say, so she hurried to add, "Sixty seconds. Give me sixty seconds to explain, and then you can hang up...if you want."_
> 
> _It would probably be the last time they ever talked, right?_ _"Sixty seconds," he repeated in agreement._
> 
> _In those sixty seconds he learned—not to his surprise—that she was a Detective for the NYPD, a part of their Missing Person's division. She had been tracking a mother who was reported missing three months ago. Betty finally found her—saved her from her ex-husband, to be exact—but when she brought her back home, they found her child had ran away. That's who she was tracking now._
> 
> _“I’m gonna bring that kid back, Jug,” she had said, determination ringing clear through the phone. “I will. But her mom—god, you're gonna laugh—she's on her way to Pop's right now. I had to send her somewhere where she'd be safe from her crazy ex-husband. But the thing is, she’s flighty. She’ll take off. I need your help to keep her there, Jug—can you do that for me?”_
> 
> _A mix of emotions slammed into him—mostly shock, old pain, and the bitter nostalgia from all this talk about investigating. But there was also…wonder. A strange curiosity. Renewed interest, like small spark in the night._
> 
> _He must’ve been silent for too long, because she resorted to begging, next. “Please, Jug. I know you don’t owe me anything—and, I know this might be a long shot. But please, just...do me this one favor, and don't let her leave. If you do this for me, I promise you’ll never have to see me again. I'll find this kid and I'll be there tonight, and then I'll disappear.”_

It’s been hours since his shift was supposed to end, but he kept his promise to Betty. He made sure the woman stayed.

Betty leaned down to whisper in the little girl’s ear, giving her a small push in the direction of her mother. The woman saw Jughead staring behind her and turned in her seat, a sob escaping her the moment she saw her baby girl.

The child cried as she ran to her mother, and they collapsed on the floor of Pop’s in a tight embrace. _“Thank you,”_ the woman sobbed over and over. She looked over her daughter’s shoulder at Betty, who simply nodded from the doorway as she looked on with teary eyes. She didn't catch the smile on Jughead's face as he watched her, watching them.

Bringing families together is what Betty did. Jughead would never forget that the reason he and his dad were ever reunited in the first place was all because of _her_. Betty Cooper never gave up, not once. And that fierce determination was only one of the many reasons why he loved her...before.

Jughead dropped his gaze to the counter, allowing his old feelings to fade along with his smile. _No point in mourning what's already dead,_ he thought. The fiery passion between them had burned out six years ago. And all that remained now was ashes. Burnt chapters of an epic love story they used to have.

But that's the funny thing about ashes. Sometimes—hidden deep underneath the lifeless, black ash—an ember remains. And embers can burn for years.

Patiently waiting for one single spark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and kudos appreciated! Love hearing your thoughts ❤️. 
> 
> ~come chat with me on tumblr, @alluringdreams!~


End file.
